Electric railway.



Patented luy 9, |901. F. M. ASHLEY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Appuction meu sept. 1s, 1899.)

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WW1/Leases Patented July 9, IQOI. F. M. ASHLEY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application led Sept..13, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Np Model.)

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No. 677,843. Patenid July 9, 190|.

F. M. ASHLEY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application led Sept. 13, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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Nrrnn Sterns FRANK M. ASHLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAlLWAY'..

SPECFCATION formingpart of Letters latent No. 677,848, dated J'uy 9, 1901.

Application tiled September 13, 1899. Serial No.730,284. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FRANK M. ASHLEY, citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York,in the borough ofBrooklyn and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electric railways of that class in which the workin g conductors are arranged in a conduit beneath the surface of the roadway.

The inventionhas special reference to details of construction affecting the insulation ofthe cable and means for transferring the current therefrom to the motor on the Vehicle and to the construction of the conduit at crossings and turnouts, whereby a stable structure is obtained and the collectors are allowed to pass without interruption.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanyingl drawings,'in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal section of the main conductor and side elevation of -the working conductor and return-conductor with other parts in diagram. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate in section the means forinsulating the contact-plungers. Fig. 4t is a perspective view of the current-collector carried by the car. Fig. 5 shows the connection between the car and the current-collector. Fig. 6 is a plan of the conduit at a crossing, the coverplate being removed. Fig. 7 is a section on line a: :1; of Fig. 6. Figs." S and 9 are details of the crossing. Fig. 10 is a plan of a turnout in the conduit. Fig. 11 is a section through the brackets supporting the switch-l tongue of the turnout; and Fig. 12 is a plan of the conduit at the turnout, the cover being removed.

The main conductor is indicated by A. It is wound spirally with a rope or cord a ofinsulating material, and then threaded through a metallic tube B, which is made in sections and joined together by couplings b. The spirals of the cord a are wound in a long pitch, so that the conductor is bare for a large portion of its surface and insulating material is saved. Each of the couplings b is provided on its under side with two downwardly-projecting bosses b', through which a contact-plunger b2 passes vertically. In side of the boss the plunger is insulated by a bushing h3, which is threaded into the boss at b4, and its lower half, which is separated from the upper half, is held in place by the nut b5. Inside of the bushing the plunger carries' a collar Z7, which limits the Vertical.

movement thereof. The inner end of the plunger carries a contact-piece 127, adapted to be thrust against the bare surface of the conductor A between two of the spirals on the cord d. To exclude moist air from the working parts of the plunger and the main conductor, the boss is surrounded exteriorly by a bulb b3, of leather, rubber, or other impervious or flexible material, through which the plunger passes and in which it is sealed in the manner shown in Fig. 3. This bulb is shown as if made of metal, the upper edge being threaded and screwing into a fiange surrounding the boss b. In Fig. 2 the bulb is held in place by a clamp h. The lower ends of the plungers are permanently attached to the sections of a working conductor C, there being one plunger at each, end of the section and each section extending from the plunger in one coupling to the first adjacent plunger in the next coupling. Electrical connection between the sections and main conductor is established by lifting the section and causing the plunger-s to rise into contact with the main conductor. For this purpose the car is equipped with a collector consisting of an arm c, adapted to pass down through the sl'ot in the conduitand carrying a cross-arm e', one end of which is fitted with two contact-rollers e2, rigidly mounted, and the other end with two contact-rollers c3, mounted on a spring e4. Therollers e2 are adapted to make contact with the sections of the working conductor and to lift them to establish connection with the main conductor in the manner hereinbefore mentioned, while the rollers e3 are adapted to make continuous contact with the continuous return-conductor A', and the spring-mounting of them permits them to yield when the plow rises and falls by reason of any irregularities. rlhe plow as awhole is connected with the vehicle through a spring f, which tends to lift it and with it the sections of the working conductor.

With reference to the construction of the IOO conduit itself in Figs. 6 and 7 I show a crossing wherein the tube containing the mainI conductor is made to terminate on each side of the crossing; but the opening is bridged by a branch conductor g, extending downone side of the conduit, across the bottom, and up the other side. If desirable, the collecting-Wheels e2 c3 may be set far enough apart to bridge from one section of the working conductor to the next across the width of car is passing t-he crossing.

ing in the street. This is due to the fact that large sections of the cover overhang the square opening formed by the crossing without support. To furnish the necessary support Without interfering with the apparatus,

I place a bracket h at each corner of the chamber, directing it diagonally across the square space and terminating it immediately under and against the angle formed in the cover plate by the crossing slots. This bracket is bolted to the corner of the main conduit at a point where it will not interfere with the other apparatus.

In Figs. l0, 1l, and 12 I have illustrated a supporting device for each switch-tongue at aturnoutin the conduit similar to the bracket shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this case the bracket, which is indicated by if, is bolted to the converging side of the walls of the two conduits and extends forward into the angle some distance, where it is fitted with an eye or socket j, in which the end of the switchtongue s is pivoted. This bracket at the same time serves to support the cover-plates, which at this location in the conduit have to be large in area.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In au electric railway a main conductor insulated by a cord or rope wound around it, the spirals of which are arranged at a long pitch to leave bare portions of the conductor between them, in combination with a tube through which the insulated conductor passes, and contact devices passing through the tube to make contact with the bared portions of the conductor, substantially as described.

2. In an electric railway a main conductor insulated by a cord or rope wound around it,

the spirals of which are arranged at a long pitch to leave bare portions of the conductor between them, in combination with a tube through which the insulated conduct-or passes, said tube being made in sections connected together by couplings provided with openings, asectional conductor arranged along the side of said tube and carrying plungers passing through the openings in said couplings and adapted to be brought into contact with the bare portions of the main conductor, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a tubular coupling b provided with a boss b', an insulated lining therefor, a plunger passing through the insulated lining and adapted to reciprocate therein, and a flexible diaphragm or bulb secured to the exterior of said boss and to the plunger permitting the latterto reciprocate while excluding the moisture, substantially as described.

4. In an electric railwaya collecting device carried by the car, consisting of a rigid arm carrying arigidly-mounted contact-roller and a flexibly-mounted con tact-roller, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric railway, the combination of a movable sectional conductor and a xed continuous conductor forming opposite sides of the circuit, and a collecting device carried by the car, one part of which carries contacts rigidly mounted thereon and adapted to make contact with the sectional conductor and another part of which carries contacts flexibly mounted thereon and adapted to make contact with the fixed conductor of the circuit.

6. In an electric-railway conduit a coverplate supported at a crossing by means of a bracket secured to the upper part of the converging side of the walls of the conduit.

7. In an electric railway, the combination of two converging conduits, a bracket se cured to the converging side walls thereof and extending toward the apex of the angle of the turnout and having a switch-tongue divided at its extremity, substantially as described.

In witness whereofI subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

`FRANK M. ASHLEY.

lVitnesscs:

WM. A. RosENBAUM, FRANK 8.013123. 

